I bought a new printer last week

kiwigtx · Feb 22, 2020

For business purposes I bought a replacement printer last week - a Brother Colour Laser 3230-CDW. A very nice printer, and a newer version of my previous printer.

I bring this up here, because I wonder how many of you out there have found it cheaper to buy a new printer c/w Toner/Ink, than it is to buy replacement Toner/Ink?

It cost me $249 local....a set of new Toner cartridges was going to cost about $700 all up - for genuine ones. I know you can get generic cheapies...but in my experience, they ARE inferior quality.

The world has gone completely mad, when you can buy a new printer, instead of replacement Toner or Inks cheaper than fixing up the old one.

And for the skeptics and critics out there, even when you factor in the reduced number of pages outputted on the 'supplied' toner, it still works out 50% cheaper.

Absolutely nuts that is....and we're worried about Global Warming????

kiwigtx · Feb 22, 2020

Oh ...BTW...the reason I replaced my printer was because of the cheapie generic Toner cartridges....the toner spewed out all over the drum & belt. For the last few weeks, I have been getting blobs of toner all over the place on my printouts.
Luckily I email my invoices etc, but for record keeping, it looks quite scruffy.

And to get the printer cleaned/serviced, it will likely cost the same as another new printer. :rofl:

kiwigtx · Feb 22, 2020

The blue marks on this sheet are quite light compared to some others....

Slap Stick · Feb 22, 2020

Weren't computers supposed to do away with paperwork?

kiwigtx · Feb 22, 2020

Slap Stick said:
Weren't computers supposed to do away with paperwork?

.....and electricity was supposed to simplify our lives as well.

Kern Dog · Feb 22, 2020

Yeah...lets all switch to electric cars....

kiwigtx · Feb 22, 2020

Kern Dog said:
Yeah...lets all switch to electric cars....

moparedtn · Feb 22, 2020

Printer manufacturers make their money on cartridges, not the printers themselves.
Like drug dealers, they just wanna get you hooked on their particular proprietary dope.

Lefty71 · Feb 22, 2020

Problem is, most new printers come from the store with reduced capicity cartridges in them (low yield), so you may be shopping again soon unfortunately. I see they didnt slip that past you tho, which is good.

gkent · Feb 22, 2020

They should just "give" printers away but make you sign a contract to buy their cartridges !!!

biomedtechguy · Feb 22, 2020

My CANON printer/scanner/copier/fax machine was $39 at Walmart...
Ink cartridges are either black or color, unlike the last one I had that had black and 3 separate colors of color cartridges.
There are "XL" ink cartridges available with higher capacity than the regular ones. A pack w/black XL and color XL cartridges runs around $42...
The trick to finding a good deal on a printer is to find one that is reasonably priced and the ink refills are not horribly expensive. That also depends on how much you print. All of my service reports and invoices are digitally generated, so I email them to my clients. If they want a hard copy, they are the ones who print them. Another benefit to my one man business is that I can pull up any service reports from wherever I may be and email them to my clients. Same goes for invoices. Easier to find and I don't have to be in my office, flipping through folders in file cabinets.

biomedtechguy · Feb 22, 2020

Another money saving option is to buy a printer that can use the cheaper "store brand" cartridges vs OEM. Unfortunately my CANON doesn't have that ability. Another reason why the unit was $39...

1 Wild R/T · Feb 22, 2020

Screen Shot 2020-02-22 at 7.25.58 AM.png

I bought one of these a couple years ago... No more cartridges... I highly recommend it.

Hey-O · Feb 22, 2020

I've bought so may printers because of the cost of the ink cartridges, that the name brand didn't even matter, needed ink, throw it away. Four years ago I bought a brother and now have the cartridges refilled at Costco. All fine and a hell of a lot cheaper.

Don Frelier · Feb 22, 2020

My father in law buys a new printer everytime the ink cartridge runs out.

biomedtechguy · Feb 22, 2020

By the way, if anyone ever prints "sensitive" documents on their printers, the printer memory circuit stores that data to a point.
Contact the manufacturer if you have specific questions about how to clear the printer data before you throw it out or give it away.

twecomm · Feb 22, 2020

Over 20 years ago, i invested in an HP 4000N Laser Jet printer. Then, laser printers in general were pricey. I still have it today, still works perfect. This thing has printed well over a hundred reams of paper since I have owned it. Toner cartridges today can be had for $ 20-40 depending where you buy em, and for most folks printing needs, a cartridge will last for years. For color, if you want photo quality, you cant beat a ink jet printer, but the cartridge prices are crazy. If you don't use them all the time they clog or dry up. I've not seen an affordable color laser that can do photo quality like you get out of an ink jet printer. I don't print many photos, but 4 years ago bought a Cannon color laser printer, scanner, fax machine that fills my color printing needs. Still on the original toner supplies that came with that printer.

Dibbons · Feb 22, 2020

They sell refillable cartridges online don't they? They have a little cap you unscrew and just fill 'em up again. Of course, the ink level monitor probably won't be accurate changing over.

moparedtn · Feb 22, 2020

1 Wild R/T said:
View attachment 913519 I bought one of these a couple years ago... No more cartridges... I highly recommend it.

I got a big ol' Brother printer/scanner/whatever that runs on huge toner cartridges similar to that one...

khryslerkid · Feb 22, 2020

Good thread @kiwigtx !

It's one of the worst scams out there. I wanted to replace my cartridges in my ink jet a few years ago and they were too expensive. Then another year or two and they are not available. I don't use it enough to keep the cartridges from drying out so you're screwed.

Looking at new ones, they have the partially filled cartridges or you can pay more for the premium ones. They constantly change the cartridges and discontinue them in a couple of years. Just go into a Office Supply store and look at the "Wall of Cartridges" they have. What a rip off.

I like the ink jet for photos and want another printer so I can create a album for the '62. Looks like I'll just have to buy one with extra cartridges, use it, then throw it away.

Lot's of YouTube vids and articles on this topic.

I bought a new printer last week

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